


Winter Changes

by orphan_account



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Angst and Feels, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-24 06:39:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13208103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Seungkwan, this is my friend Vernon, we met at a kickboxing class,” Hoseok says, gesturing to Vernon, who is cradling a cup close to his chest.  Hoseok continues talking, but Seungkwan doesn’t hear anything except the sound of his own heartbeat and the voice in his head repeating "it’s him it’s him it’s him" like a mantra.Him meaning Hansol Vernon Choi, a junior physics major and the love of Boo Seungkwan’s currently miserable life.





	Winter Changes

“Seungkwan! I didn’t think you’d make it, come on in!” An enthusiastic Mingyu claps Seungkwan on the back a little too hard before ushering him through the door and into the welcoming warmth of the house, allowing Seungkwan to escape the frigid December night. The sounds of the house party that is underway envelopes Seungkwan as he hears glasses clinking, music, and laughter.

Seungkwan rolls his eyes playfully. “I promised I would come. Have I ever missed your Christmas party?” he says while shrugging off his coat and handing it to Mingyu, who hangs it up in the already overflowing closet.

“Yeah, but that didn’t stop you from canceling all those times for poker night. We could’ve used you to stop Minghao from kicking all of our asses,” Mingyu playfully jibes as the two walk into the packed living room. Nat King Cole blares on the speakers, and the Christmas tree is decorated with jubilant ornaments and tinsel.

On the couch in the corner, a very tipsy Jung Hoseok belts out the lyrics to the song to his boyfriend Min Yoongi, who sports a very bemused expression on his face as his boyfriend attempts to climb into his lap. Hoseok is wearing a corny Christmas sweater with a tap dancing Santa on the front while Yoongi has a reindeer antler headband placed on his head, most likely put there by Hoseok.

“Seungkwan?! Is that you?” Hoseok detaches himself from his boyfriend’s side and launches himself at Seungkwan, completely trusting that he’ll be caught. “I’m Hoseok. Jung Hoseok! Do you remember me? We met at Sunny’s birthday party!” he shouts enthusiastically.

“Hoseok, volume, please. We’d all like to not lose our hearing,” Yoongi calls from the couch. Hoseok looks sheepish, but only for a second.

Seungkwan chuckles at Hoseok’s antics and helps him stand upright. “Yes, of course, I do. How are you?”

“I’m doing great, just great. Fantastic, actually. You see, my boyfriend, he's the one on the couch over there, is fucking hot-”

“Hoseok!” Yoongi calls out again, but Seungkwan doesn’t miss the faint flush on his cheeks.

“What? I speak the truth and only the truth!” Hoseok replies, placing his hand over his heart. “But back to you, Seungkwan. You are looking way too sober, and I’m going to fix this!” Hoseok grabs Seungkwan by the elbow and guides them over to the makeshift bar.

Halfway to the table, Seungkwan freezes as he spots a familiar head of hair amongst the crowd. In the following seconds, his worst fear comes true.

“VERNON!” Hoseok yells before tackling the man in a similar manner that he had done to Seungkwan a few minutes prior. Seungkwan eyes dart around, looking for any possible exit. Just as he spies an opening in the crowd that leads to the door, the perfect escape route, Hoseok pulls him back into the conversation.

“Seungkwan, this is my friend Vernon, we met at a kickboxing class,” Hoseok says, gesturing to Vernon, who is cradling a cup close to his chest. Hoseok continues talking, but Seungkwan doesn’t hear anything but the sound of his own heartbeat and the voice in his head repeating "it’s him it’s him it’s him" like a mantra.

Him meaning Hansol Vernon Choi, a junior physics major and the love of Boo Seungkwan 's currently miserable life.

Vernon and Seungkwan met each other in the spring semester of their sophomore year at university. They had general physics together, which they both took to fulfill a core requirement. Vernon had missed a couple classes due to a fever, so when he returned he asked Seungkwan if he could share the latest notes with him. That simple interaction was enough for Seungkwan and Vernon to instantly hit it off, and they were dating by the next month.

Everything was happy until it wasn’t.

Last month, Vernon suddenly cut it off without notice or explanation, leaving Seungkwan in a sort of haze, confused and unsure about everything that had seemed certain to him just a month ago.

Seungkwan pulls himself out his reverie and is just about to inform Hoseok that he actually does know Vernon, but he is stopped when Vernon offers his hand to him.

“Nice to meet you, Seungkwan,” Vernon says, nothing in his eyes or smile betraying the reality of the situation. Seungkwan freezes for a moment before swallowing back the hurt and angry that is bubbling up in his throat out and offers out his own hand. Two can play this game. “It’s a pleasure," he replies. 

The party is too loud and boisterous for everyone to hear the sound of two hearts breaking.

After that awkward confrontation, Vernon slips away from the party and into the back alleyway to smoke, his hands trembling as he lights the cigarette.  
“You didn’t tell him, did you?”

Vernon whips around to see Seungcheol standing there, hands stuffed in pockets and eyebrows furrowed.

Turning back around, Vernon takes an angry puff and burrows himself deeper into his coat. “It’s best if he doesn’t know.” Seungcheol sighs and moves so he’s shoulder to shoulder to Vernon. The two of them stare blankly at the snow falling down in swirls.

A few minutes later, Veron breaks the silence. “Maybe after going to a doctor and I take time to figure this out for myself I'll tell him. I just need to wrap my head entirely around this situation.”

“Being bipolar won’t stop from Seungkwan from loving you,” Seungcheol points out, calmly. “It’s not like any part of you has changed." Vernon clenches his hands so that the whites of his knuckles stand out against the skin of his hand that has turned a light pink from the cold weather. “This is the last party I’ll be coming to for a while. I acted like such an ass in there, Seungcheol. I pretended that I didn’t know him. Seungkwan deserves more than a coward.”

“You’re not a coward, Vernon. I don’t want you to ever say that again,” Seungcheol reprimands. You’ve completed step one, which is acknowledgment of the situation. Step two is hope. You are still the same Vernon that though it would be a good idea to steal the head football coach's golf cart at night and ride around on the field in it.” Seungcheol gently nudges his knee. Vernon returns the action with a slight quirk of the lips. He takes one more puff of his cigarette, before putting it out under the heel of his boot. The smoke rises, intermingling and twisting around the snowflakes as Vernon and Seungcheol turn and go back inside.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me on Tumblr @llavkey


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